Scott Bessent on Meet the Press: 'We're Not Doing Economic Policy Off of One Number'

On Friday, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent appeared opposite NBC's Kristen Welker on "Meet the Press," and predictably, she pressed the SecTreas on the August jobs report. As is so often the case, Mr. Bessent just wasn't having it.

The first topic to come up was the recent (mildly disappointing) August jobs report.

"We're not going to do economic policy off of one number," says @SecScottBessent on August jobs numbers.

"If, in fact, these numbers are true, it shows that President Trump was right about the Federal Reserve — they are TOO LATE." pic.twitter.com/JkcBKM4lzW
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025

Secretary Bessent said:

Look, we're not going to do economic policy off of one number. We believe that good policies are in place that are going to create good high high-paying jobs for the American people.
Two, let's look at the efficacy of this number. August is the noisiest month of the year. Typically the highest provisions come in August, that's why it's important that we have good data. Austan Goolsbee, who is the head of the Chicago Fed, and probably the most partisan person at the Federal Reserve, in leadership, came out and said, "I don't know if these numbers are that weak. I don't know if I'm going to vote for a cut in September, because it may have something to do with the immigration, deportation." So, this is why we need the data.
Three, if in fact, these numbers are true, it shows that President Trump was right about the Federal Reserve. They are too late. And because of the bad numbers, they likely would have been cutting in June, (if) we believe the numbers.
And four, I can tell you that the one thing this administration is not going to do, and we are not going to let the Democrat media surrogates do, is, during President Biden, (Vice) President Harris's campaign, they told the American people it's a vibe session. You don't understand how good you have it. President Trump was elected for change. And we are going to push through with the economic policies that are going to set the economy right, I believe, by the fourth quarter. We are going to see a substantial acceleration.

There's a lot to digest there, but the key point is this: The administration isn't going to see one bad jobs report, point and shout "squirrel!" And then, suddenly change economic policy, presumably to something more that Democrats would favor. That may be what some administrations have done in the past, but not this one; Secretary Bessent seems confident that things will be turning around by the end of the year, and he is also clearly in favor of staying the administration's current course. Now, predictions are hard to make, especially about the future, but if he's right, plenty of people in the legacy media and the Democratic Party (but I repeat myself) will be looking over some menu options for crow.

Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent Says All Options for Putin's Russia 'On the Table'

In response to a question on illegal aliens and jobs, Secretary Bessent wasn't standing for any nonsense from Kristen Welker:

.@SecScottBessent: "Jobs that are being created are going to either native-born or legal Americans. Most of the jobs created under the Biden Admin went to illegal aliens."

NBC: "I think that there would be a lot of debate..."@SecScottBessent: "No, no, no. That's the fact." 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RwSfF529RP
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 7, 2025

Here's how that exchange went:

Secretary Bessent: What we're seeing is that the jobs that are being created are going to either native-born or legal Americans. Most of the jobs created under the Biden administration went to illegal aliens.
Kristen Welker: Well, and I think that there would be a lot of debate over the fact that they went to illegal aliens.
Secretary Bessent: No, no, no. That's the fact.

Jobs or no jobs, illegal aliens are being packed up and sent home in great carload (or airplaneload) lots. That's as much a criminal justice issue as a jobs issue, but as things go along, we should see more and more jobs open up for American workers. Americans may demand more pay than illegal aliens, but in an overall growing economy, that should be doable.

Note that the fourth quarter is less than a month away, unless Secretary Bessent means the fourth federal fiscal quarter, which begins in July. Stay tuned!

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and bold policies, America’s economy is back on track.

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